A long time ago in Greece, a duke named Theseus ruled the city known as Athens. One day, four women knelt before Theseus' horse and wept, preventing him from entering the city. The eldest wife tells him that they are mourning the loss of their husbands, killed during the siege of the city of Thebes. Creon, lord of Thebes, had dishonored them by refusing to bury or cremate their bodies. Enraged by the ladies' predicament; Theseus heads towards Thebes, which he easily conquers. After returning their husbands' bones for funeral rites, Theseus discovers two wounded enemy soldiers lying on the battlefield, near death. Rather than kill them, he mercifully heals the Theban soldiers' wounds, but sentences them to life in prison in an Athenian tower. The prisoners, named Palamon and Arcite, are cousins. They have both lived in the tower for several years. One spring morning, Palamon wakes up early and looks out the window and sees the beautiful Emelye, Theseus's sister-in-law. She makes flower garlands. He falls in love with her on sight. His scream disturbs Arcite and wakes up and comes to investigate what is happening. As Arcite looks out the window, he too falls in love with the beautiful young woman. They fight for her, but eventually realize the ineffectiveness of this fight when they remember that neither of them will ever be able to leave the prison. One day, a duke named Perotheus asks for Arcite's freedom. Theseus agrees on the condition that Arcite be banished from Athens forever. Arcite returns to Thebes, he is unhappy and jealous of Palamon, who can still see Emelye every day from the tower. But Palamon also becomes sadder than ever; he believes that Arcite will besiege Athens... middle of paper ... she that if she decides to marry, she should remember Palamon, who possesses the qualities of a worthy knight. All Athens mourns the death of Arcite. Emelye, Theseus and Palamon are heartbroken. Egeus, Theseus's father, takes Theseus aside and tells him that every man must live and die and that life is a journey through sadness that must, at some point, end. After a few years, the mourners feel better except Emelye and Palamon, who continue to wander around horribly, dressed in black. At a meeting in Athens, Theseus criticizes the two men for their excessive mourning. He reminds them that God commands that all die. He asks that they stop crying and that Emelye takes Palamon as her husband. They obey and, as they realize the wisdom of Theseus' advice over many years, Emelye and Palamon enjoy a long, loving and happy marriage..